Ore washer



Sept. 4, 1934-.

M. J. LACY, JR

ORE WASHER Filed July 27. 1932. 2 Sheets-Sheet l k \N mw W v- JN if m\ n M Y w xmvNm IHMIUJME. l mmf d f.. Qw\ A Q, M m www ,N

' 2 sheets-sheep v12 M. J.. LACY, JR

ORE WASHER Filed .my 27. 1932- sept. 4,- 1934.

Patented Sept. 4, 1934 -AUNITED STATES l,97Z,iii

PATENT eerie 6 Claims.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in machines for washing ores con-v taining clay, chips, silt and other contaminating matter to be separated from the valuable con- `5 stituents, such ores as phosphates, manganese,

iron, and the washing `of concrete aggregates.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, ruggedly constructed 'machine for the purpose stated which will make lo loss slimes in washing :the ore than is usual in machines of this character.

Another object is to provide `a machine which will make a cleaner product than can be produced by machines now in use.

Again-it isan object to provide amachine which will cause less breakage Jof soft ores suchk as phosphate ores.y

.it is an object to provide a machine which requires less power to operate, will involve '20 iess expense for repairs when repairs .become necessary, and which can be built for any capacity and in any sizes desired.

' Further, the invention has foran object to provide fan ore washer which is more flexible as to 25 conta-ol of capacity and fgrade of product than other machines now known, and one which will deliver a better dehydrated product, ,clean of clay, slime, silt and chips than is possible with ma'- nowicncwn.

a!) ther obectswillin part be obvious and -in part pointed but hereinafter,

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, the invention still `further:resides in the novel of construction, combination and 35 arrangement aoif parts, all `of which will be iirst Iuliy :in the following :detailed description, then :be partieularhf pointed out in the vappewdediclaims, reference being had to the accomdrawings, 1in `whicht- @o Figm'e .l1 iszaplaniviewof my machine; f

'fig-:1R12 :isawextical flongitudinal .section there- @et )mi-'substantially ithe .fline v2--2 -of -Figure 1.

3 :is a dnansverse section enz-the .line 3-Y-3 l@if 2.

as migure 4 is za. detail perspective Iview of 4:one of the plow ilinklunts. f Y

'inthe drawings inwhich flifke numerals of Teferenoe designate like parts .in all of the fgures, .d represents itlre bottom iongitudi-na-l beams which feo incline upwardly toward 4the exit end of kthe `ma.-

' "2 indicatesfthebottom longitudinal beams which incline downwardly from :the entnmce fend of tthe machine. .'Ihese beams are snppoted on suitable vertical supporting :cross .A B5 ,3, 4, 5, 1i-and "I respectively. A wooden bottom 8 9 is mounted on the beams l and 2 and wooden side walls 10 are provided, thus forming an elongated trough. This trough is provided with a metal lining l1.

Horizontal longitudinal top beams i5 are mounted on the frames 3 and 'l and carry drive shaft bearings l2 in which the. driving shaft 13 is journalled, this shaft being preferably located adjacent to the outlet throat 42 of the trough. A set of spaceddriving sprockets 14 are mounted on the shaft 13, over which sprockets the endless chains pass. Adjacent the inlet end ofV the machine there is an upper idler wheel shaft 15 journalled in shaft carrying slide blocks 17 and carrying idler wheels 16, one for each chain. The slide blocks 17 are mounted in slotted'guides 18 that are secured on the longitudinal beams 45, there being a take-up screw 19 with jam nut 2o provided for the purpose of moving the slides 17 to keep the chains taut.

The chains also pass over an idler drum wheel 21 carried by a shaft 22 journalled in suitable bearings within the trough adjacent to its point of lowest level.

23 is a chain drive roller shaft bearing block in which the shaft of an idlerdrum 24 is journalled, the drum being located about midway between `'the sprockets' 14 and the idler wheel 16 so as to the cross bars or drag spacer bars are secured'in any suitable manner.

3l is-al 'baie located. between the chain and ,95 thek downwardly inclined bottom walls-11 of the trough so as to comprise a hopper-like en-v trance 41 into which the material is dumped.

32 is a water supply vpipe from which several branches extend, the lowermost branch 33 be'-v "1130 ling located below the water level adjacent to the `drurn'Zl and is provided with spraying apertures 34 :that yare downwardly directed, there being a vsecond branch 35 with downwardly directed spraying apertures 36 located in the trough be- Vwlow the water level but Vat a higher elevation than the branch `33. Both of the branches 33 and 35 are located above the lower flight of the chains.

3'7 is :another branch pipe lwith spraying aper- 1.10

kzo

vstaggered relation of the plows.

tures 38 directed downwardly by the pipe 37 and is located above the water level and above the lower flight of the chain. Beyond the range of the chains and adjacent to the outlet throat 42 is a fourth spray pipe 39 whose spraying apertures 40 are directed horizontally backward onto the material that is passed into the throat 42 from whence it is delivered by the discharge throat 43 supported on suitable beams 44.

Each branch pipe or duct 33, 35, 37, 39 has an individual control valve. 46 so that the several spray pipes may be severally controlled.

A water overliow outlet 47 is provided in'a side wall of trough so as to maintain a denite water line.

It is to be observed that the plow shares 28 have their lower edges in close proximity to the upwardly inclined bottom 9-11 of the trough in passing from 'the rollers 21 to the sprockets 14. Furthermore, the plows on alternate chains are staggered with respect to each other so that as the plows are moved upwardly through the mass of aggregates in the baththe mass will be advanced up the incline and at the same time given a lateral movement back and forth dueto the The scraper bars 30 maintain a denite level of material on the up-going part of the machine and assist the plows in advancing the material from the pit of the trough beneath the rollers 21 to the outlet throat 42 above the water line.

The drag spacer bars 30 perform twofunctions, namely they hold the chains inv alignment and prevent the plows from turning sidewise; they also act as skimmers for the top of the material and to drag the wash material to the discharge throat, thereby assisting in agitating the water and keeping the ne material in suspension to pass out through the overflow with the water to' be recovered in other suitable machines for the purpose.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, itis thought the complete construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is:

l. In an ore washer and the like, a trough having an upwardly inclined bottom wall with a discharge throat at its highest portion and having a downwardly inclined bottom wall with an inlet at its highest portion, the two walls merging to form a pit in the trough, a plurality of endless chains mounted on wheels at both ends of the trough and passed under an idler mounted in the trough at the pit, each chain having at intervals plow and cross bar links, each of which links having a plow beam carrying a plow share and also having a scraper cross bar flat, the plow carrying link of one chain being staggered with respect to those of adjacent chains, means to drive the chains in unison, and cross bars connecting the flats which are in transverse alignment, said trough having a water overflow port to maintain a deiinite water line, and spray pipes in the trough for the purposes described.

2. In an ore washerand the like, a trough having an upwardly inclined bottom wall with aY discharge throat at its highest portion and having a downwardly inclined bottom wall with an inlet at its highest portion, the two walls merging to form a pit in the trough, a plurality of endless chains mounted on wheels at both ends of the trough and passed under an idler mounted in the trough at the pit, each chain having at intervals plow and cross bar links, each of which links having a plow beam carrying aplow share and also having a scraper cross bar flat, the plow carrying link of one chain being staggered with respect to those of adjacent chains, means to drive the chains in unison, and cross bars connecting the flats which are in transverse alignment, said trough having a water overflow port to maintainV avdeflnteiwater linac-[spray pipes in the trough, said chains havingfights `extending parallel with the upwardly inclined bottom wall and flights extending horizontally from end to end along the top of the trough, and a chain carrying idler on the top of the trough.

3. In ore washers and the like, ak trough having an ventrance at one' end and an outlet at the other end and provided with a Water overow below the level of said outlet, said trough having a \/shaped bottom composed of a short wall at the inlet end and a long wall extending from the short wall to the outlet endof the trough, means to advance thev aggregates from the Alowermost part of the trough toward the` outlet.. end and simultaneously impart to. the'same a lateral .zigzag movement, means for sprayingzwater downwardly on the aggregatesbelowfthe Watterrline .in the trough, other means for sprayingwater downwardly on the aggregates above-thenwater level line. in the trough, and v.further 4means `to spray wash material as it passes the p1ace=ofdischarge,

said aggregate advancing and laterally v.moving means comprising a pluralityof parallellydisposed endless chains eachhaving at intervals plow links that have plow beams carryingplow shoes. for longitudinally plowingthrough thel aggregates in the Vtrough and moving the saine laterally and forwardly, the plow of one chain being staggered with respect .to those of adjacent chains,..said links having cross ybar flats andA crossscrapex'f-bars extending transversely of theftrough and connecting those plow links' which align-transversely.

4. In ore washers andthe like, a-trough having an entrance at one endand an outlet at the other end and provided with a Water overow vbelow the level of said outlet, said`trough.having `a \/-shaped bottom composed of a short wall .at the inlet end and a long wall extending `from the short rwall to the outlet end ofthe trough, means to advance the aggregates from the lower,-

`most part ofthe trough toward the voutlet.' end and simultaneously impartto the samea lateral zigzagr movement, means Vfor spraying: water downwardlyon the aggregates below the water line in the trough, other means for spraying Water downwardly on the aggregates above the water level linein the trough, and furthermeans rto spray wash material as it passes the kplace of discharge, said aggregate advancing and laterally moving means comprising a plurality of parallelly disposed endless chains each' havingat intervals plow links that have plow` beamsk carrying-:plow

shoes for longitudinally vplowing -throughthe ag.-

gregates in the trough and movingV the same'laterally and forwardly, the plow of one Ychain being staggered with respect to those of adjacent chains, said links having cross bar flats"andfcrc'assl scraper bars extending transversely of the; trough and yconnecting those plow links which aligntransversely, and means to. maintain said;chainsftaut,

anda shaft with a drum mounted on topl ofthe other end and provided with a water 1overflow fbedownwardly on the aggregates above the water ed on rotating supports, two of which supports level line in the trough, further means to spray wash material as it passes the place of discharge, said aggregate advancing and laterally moving means comprising a plurality of parallelly dis-v posed endless chains each having at intervals plow links that have plow beams carrying plow shoes for longitudinally plowing through the aggregates in the trough and moving the same laterally and forwardly, the plow of one chain being staggered with respect to those of adjacent chains, said links having cross bar flats and cross scraper bars extending transversely of the trough and connecting those plow links which align transversely, means to maintain said chains taut, and

5 a shaft with a drum mounted on top of the trough above the water level over which said chains pass, said trough being metal-lined and said plows being disposed to travel with their bottoms in close proximity to the lining on the upwardly inclined bottom wall of the trough.

6. In a washer for ore and aggregates, a trough of triangular shape in vertical longitudinal section open at the top and having a bottom provided with a short steep entrant portion and a long gradually inclined outgoing portion, an endless conveyor composed of parallel chains mountarey locatedon the trough above the water line and one of-which is submerged below the water line and located adjacent the angle at the bottom of the trough made by the juncture of the entrant and outgoing portions thereof, said chains each having a portion paralleling said outgoing portion of the trough bottom, plows rigidly secured to said chains, said chains each comprising plow links and connecting links between the plow links, the plows of one chain being staggered with respect to the plows of an adjacent chain, and cross bars connecting alternate chains together at the rear of the plows for the purposes described.

MARMADUKE J. LACY, JR. 

